A comparative analysis of social networks content moderation guidelines and blog posts

Abstract

The study aims to examine the content moderation guidelines of major social media platforms and assess how these platforms communicate their moderation practices through official blog posts. A comparative analysis of Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter) revealed that while platforms share common moderation goals—such as prohibiting hate speech, misinformation, and harmful content—there are notable differences in the emphasis of these issues in public communications. Blog posts, used as self-representation tools, often focus on specific platform priorities, such as privacy or community protection, which may not always align with the full scope of the guidelines. For example, while misinformation is a formal concern across platforms, it is not always as prominently featured in public messaging. These findings highlight a gap between formal content moderation policies and how platforms publicly communicate their enforcement efforts.